


百鬼夜行 『hundred demon night parade』

by watanukitty



Series: fragmentary blue [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-05
Updated: 2017-05-05
Packaged: 2018-10-28 10:13:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10829184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/watanukitty/pseuds/watanukitty
Summary: Sokka gets more than he bargained for while running an errand. CLAMP AU.





	百鬼夜行 『hundred demon night parade』

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt fill: CLAMP AU. 
> 
> This was originally supposed to be just a three sentence challenge type deal but it expanded into an all out AU.

It wasn't that Sokka hated doing errands, no. Every opportunity to go around the city and do things was always welcome, because sometimes there's food involved, especially if it's an errand for Iroh. A feast in exchange for a small supply run is almost always guaranteed.

But having to work with Azula though? That's another story entirely.

He eyed her warily. "What are we supposed to do again?"

She pursed her lips, and handed him a note. It was in Iroh's writing.

"'Follow the parade and extract the nectar into the _houzuki_ '" he read, scratching his head all the way. He looked up at Azula. "The what, now?"

She held up the strange, large fruit that she'd been carrying when they met up earlier. "This."

O-kay. "And the nectar?"

Azula shook her head. "I don't know. Uncle didn't elaborate." She nodded at the piece of paper. "Read the last line."

Sokka scanned the page, and arrived at the bottom line written in large, bold characters. "'Whatever you do, DO NOT lose contact with the houzuki.'"

"Um...?"

Azula shifted the fruit, and held on to the base of an attached stem like a handle. She offered the top half. "Here."

Sokka looked at the paper in his hand, then the fruit, then Azula, and back again. 

"Hurry," she said.

Sokka scratched his head again, and touched the fruit's stem gingerly with his thumb and forefinger.

Can this get more awkward?

They stood like that for a few minutes: her holding the fruit out at an arm's length, and him clutching his half of the stem with a disbelieving, disgusted look on his face, as if he was holding someone's dirty underwear.

Yes, it CAN get more awkward.

He couldn't stand the dead air any longer. "So did Iroh say when this parade is going to---"

Suddenly, the world went dark.

The park they were standing in disappeared, replaced by strange, moving darkness that's only intermittently broken by a few distant lights.

"What the?" Sokka began to say, but then he heard the footsteps.

Or what he can approximately call footsteps, anyway. The creatures that were approaching had feet, paws, tentacles, and everything in between. Some, Sokka noticed, as a rectangular blob passed right beside him, didn't even touch the ground. 

He was barely able to hold back a full body shudder.

Azula looked around, and started tugging his hand. "Come on," she urged.

Sokka reluctantly followed, moving closer to Azula as they walked. He knew she liked her distance but he was NOT going to be youkai-chow tonight.

"Relax," Azula said, her eyes trained straight ahead to wherever they're going. "If they wanted to harm us, they'd have done it by now." 

He side-stepped as a massive black mass with a what looks like a Noh mask for a face glided from behind them and into the rest of the parade. "Yeah, well," Sokka muttered, realizing that his shoulder was now touching hers. "I'm not taking any chances."

She glanced at him, but didn't move away. "Just keep your hand on the houzuki and you'll be fine."

"You seem so calm about all this." Sokka said, holding the fruit stem tighter with his fingers.

"I've seen spirits before," Azula replied. If she felt his fingers brushing against hers, she didn't let it show. "And you? I thought you performed exorcisms?"

"I _assist_ in exorcisms," he corrected her. He may have read all the texts and mostly practiced the way, but he knows he lacks something, try hard as he might. He didn't have Katara's healing water, or Azula's cold fire. He only has a strong sense, and an even stronger sword. "And I haven't actually seen one, let alone this many!" He told her, gesturing wildly to the crowd with his free hand. "And no spirit-sight, remember?"

Azula's brows furrowed as she watched him flail about. "It must be the houzuki," she said, her eyes darting down to their hands.

"What about it?"

"It lets you see the youkai," she began to explain, and cut off when a fleshy ribbon riddled with eyes fluttered overhead, "but the youkai doesn't see you. Us."

That's helpful. "All the more reason to keep touching the houzuki then," Sokka replied. And Azula's hand too, sort of.

"We should be able get that nectar soon," Azula said, softly. She almost sounded comforting, if he didn't know any better.

"Not nearly soon enough," he muttered, unconsciously huddling nearer towards her. They just had to get that nectar and go back the way they went, right?

What could happen?

＊＊＊ 

Sokka tripping over a mole-like youkai, dropping face-first to the ground, and taking Azula down with him while the houzuki rolled a few feet away was what happened.

Well, at least he now knows the actual reason why he shouldn't let go of that damn fruit.

The youkai were closing in on them, hatred---and hunger---evident in their many, many eyes. 

"You got a plan, Hiou?" Sokka whispered to Azula as he took a step back and fumbled for his boomerang. Why oh why didn't he bring his sword?

Lightning sizzled between Azula's fingers. "I was gonna say 'run' but it looks like we're---"

"Fucked?"

She didn't reply. 

Well, guess that's how he dies young, then: eaten in a youkai buffet. Where would his soul go if he dies inside the spirit world?

"Humans," a fanged youkai growled, "delicious humans!"

"Nowhere to run..." hissed another, its tendrils of smoke undulating in delight.

"Such a sweet smell~" a humanoid ball of hair giggled.

They drew closer, and closer, telling them of their scent, and their taste, and oh how delectable their human flesh is.

Sokka took a final glance at Azula. Her face is hard and set as stone, but there was a slight tremble to the currents dancing in her hand.

The youkai had them completely surrounded. _Well_ , he thought, _this is the end_.

He scrunched his eyes shut,  
and braced himself for the first strike.

"Wait!"

Sokka's blue eyes snapped open. The youkai stopped still, looking as confused as monsters can get. He glanced at his right. Azula had relaxed from her stance, with the faintest signs of recognition were coloring her features.

"Wait!" It was the tiny voice again, seemingly coming from the center of the youkai mass. 

A chorus of murmurs followed as the swarm parted, making way for what he can see as a small bundle of reddish fur.

"Is that...a _kitsune_?" Sokka asked out loud. Azula's eyes widened, and he saw her take a small step forward.

"I know them!" The kitsune cub squeaked. It had its own houzuki in its hand, and is carrying a second. Theirs.

"Stay out of this little one," the smoke youkai warned.

The kitsune's tail fluffed up and swished. "They're not here to steal! They're my friends!" 

"You know this kid?" Sokka asked, pointing at the fox.

"Yes, his father made that oden Zuko gave you." Azula answered, her golden eyes not leaving the cub.

Damn good oden that was. Figures.

"Look!" the kitsune exclaimed, presenting the youkai with their houzuki. "This is theirs. They were sent here!"

Sokka had to gulp as he watched the exchange. The youkai don't seem convinced.

"They could have stolen it from someone," the mole yokai asserted, spraying spittle all over. "Just because they brought it doesn't mean it's theirs..."

"But it is!" the cub reasoned, exasperated now. "It's theirs, see?" He held up the houzuki, which only now Sokka noticed has a slightly redder color than what the others are toting. "The Princess is here to take her family's fill!" 

All eyes---and what counted as eyes---suddenly went to Azula. He wasn't the one being stared at but this is the smallest Sokka has ever felt.

"The Princess?"

"That's her?"

"There's a daughter...?"

"I thought she smelled different..."

Their reaction threw Sokka off. He turned to Azula. "They know you 'round these parts?" 

She shrugged. "Word gets around, I suppose."

"They do know you're not royalty anymore, right?" 

"Must have missed the memo."

The youkai seemed to have finished talking amongst themselves. "It appears a Sun-born is in our midst," the smoke yokai announced, "we permit that the _Agneya_ and her companion proceed."

And just like that, they dispersed as quickly as they converged, and resumed their trek to who-knows-where. Sokka was finally able to let go of the breath he'd been holding.

"What was that?!" he demanded.

"Family privileges," was all Azula answered. She took the houzuki from the kitsune and began walking side by side with it. Sokka had to jog to keep up.

"What do you mean 'family priviliges'? And why did they call you an---"

" _Agneya_. It's an ancient title for blood princesses in Agni's line, in honor of his eldest daughter." Azula explained, her pace not faltering. 

"Right," Sokka nodded, scratching his chin. "But that doesn't explain the houzuki?"

"Legends say that Agni was gifted a houzuki on his coronation, and that the invitation to the parade was extended to his descendants. I was the first female born into the clan after eight generations," Azula told him. "It's likely they didn't realize I was a member of Agni's house. All they've encountered for a while are males."

 _Only one guy in particular_ , Sokka thought. _Probably didn't recognize anyone who isn't Iroh..._

"Spirits are very suspicious of humans," Azula continued. "They wouldn't have believed me had I just told them. It's a good thing you came along," she finished, smiling down gently at the young kitsune walking in between them.

Sokka momentarily stopped in his tracks. He had never seen her smile so genuinely before. There had been many strange things he's seen tonight, but this by far is the strangest. A good kind of strange.

No wonder the poor kitsune blushed bright red.

Sokka had to pry his eyes away. "Well," he cleared his throat, "looks like what they say is true."

Azula turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"That you're lucky," Sokka told her.

She frowned, and looked down. "Only Zuko says that."

"Well Zuko's right then," Sokka shrugged. "If you hadn't run into this little guy that one time, we'd be dead by now." Or worse.

"If that's the case," Azula began, her voice taking on a tone that Sokka didn't like one bit "you better thank me then."

He snapped his head back. "Whoa, Hiou! Don't push it," he warned. She may have great networking skills but damn is this girl full of herself!

Azula narrowed her eyes, and then smirked. "You owe me one, _gaijin_ ," she said, and walked straight ahead.

"Your friend saved us but I owe _you_?!"

Azula merely rolled her eyes and quickened her pace, pulling the confused, blushing kitsune cub with her. Sokka huffed, and watched her unbelievingly for a moment, pondering how someone so put together could be so...messed up. So insufferable, so... _weird_.

He doesn't get her. He doesn't get her at all.

A strong wind blew behind him, prompting him to whip his head around and see that the darkness surrounding them is moving again, this time accompanied with undulating strips of light and what sounded like faint whispers.

Sokka whimpered. There may be another round of youkai questioning and he wasn't gonna stick around for that. Nope. 

He turned back to the direction of the parade. Azula and the kitsune were already ways away, swinging their joint hands and happily chatting as they walked.

"Hey!" He shouted, looking back at the darkness behind him one last time before breaking into a sprint. "Hey Hiou, wait up! Hiou!"

＊＊＊ 

Iroh heaved a deep sigh as he sat down the low table. A hearty spread of meat, vegetables, rice, and soup was at the ready, complete, of course, with his ubiquitous tea.

"Well, my children, go ahead and dig in!" 

Lu Ten, Zuko, and Azula respectfully bowed their heads. "Thank you for the meal." 

"Yeah, thanks Iroh!" Sokka said, his mouth already filled with grilled meat. 

"Oh but, thank _you_ , my boy," Iroh said, his eyes crinkling merrily as he poured Sokka a cup of tea. "For helping me fetch this year's nectar." He turned to Azula. "Thank you for working hard, dear niece."

Azula bowed in acknowledgement.

"Say Iroh," Sokka began, swallowing a big helping of rice, "what's that nectar for, anyway?"

Iroh's face broke into a huge grin. "Why, for drinking, of course!" 

"Wait, what?"

The old man produced the houzuki from underneath the table, and twisted off the stem one, two, three times like a bottle cap. He then started pouring some of the glistening gold liquid onto a sake cup.

Sokka could not believe what he was seeing. "Hold on---you mean to tell me I almost got eaten today _just_ for booze?"

"It's very good booze," Lu Ten said, in between sips of tea.

"Can't be better than cactus juice!" Sokka grumbled, reaching for the filled cup which Iroh gladly gave to him. He looked down at the contents, squinting his eyes at the faint glitter that the drink gave off. _This is just another fancy looking drink_ he thought, and tossed his head back to knock the drink off in one gulp.

All four members of the former Royal Family watched Sokka with interest, and, in Zuko's case, with a smidge of dread. Sokka kept the drink in his mouth for a moment before swallowing---slowly---and grimacing.

"Well?" Azula asked.

Sokka couldn't possibly answer. The nectar was sweet, with a tangy, fruity aftertaste that he can only associate with lemons. As a liquor it was _strong_ , full-bodied, and burns his throat just the right way.

He also didn't start seeing things five seconds after a shot.

Sokka grimaced again. "Dammit," he mumbled, slamming the cup on the wooden table. "It _is_ better than cactus juice!" The hassle getting it was almost worth it. Almost.

The ex-Royals finally exhaled. "Told you so," Lu Ten said with the smallest smirk. "My turn."

"No!" Iroh interjected, holding the houzuki as far away as he could from his son. "You get the last drink, my boy. And only one cup. One cup!"

Sokka had never seen the high priest so agitated before. "Did I miss something?" he asked Zuko. 

Zuko narrowed his good eye, the corner his lip curling downward as he watched his uncle and older cousin engage in a staring contest. "Lu Ten keeps hogging all the nectar," he told Sokka.

"One time, Zuko, that was one time!" Lu Ten said, his eyes not leaving that of his father's.

"The first and last time I'll ever trust you with this ancient tradition!" Iroh cried. "How could you, son? After everything I taught you..."

"It's just booze, Dad!" Lu Ten replied in righteous indignation. "And I was the one who took it, aren't I?"

"You were supposed to _share_ it!" Iroh yelled.

"I was thirsty!"

Sokka blinked. "Lu Ten went on a nectar run too?"

"Eh, about...what? A year, two years ago?" Zuko said, scooping some more rice on his bowl as he went.

"And...he didn't get chased by an angry mob of youkai?" 

"Well _I_ didn't let go of the houzuki like I'm _supposed_ to," Lu Ten said, his upper lip curling into a snarl as Iroh stashed the houzuki away. 

Sokka scowled at the jab. Across from him, Azula sniggered.

"Okay," he said, passing off Lu Ten's sudden aggression as misplaced anger, "How about Zuko?"

"Huh?" Zuko asked, a bowl of miso soup halfway to his mouth.

"Did you ever get nectar duty?" 

"Zuzu would never get 'nectar duty'," Azula answered for her brother, her voice taking on that smug, lilting tone that she only ever uses when tormenting Zuko. "He's not fit for the job."

Zuko growled at her from across the table. "Shut up, _Kaiju_!"

Azula only glared at him, before sticking her tongue out in defiance. 

Classy.

"Zuko, Azula, please," Iroh admonished while pouring them all another round of tea. "Azula is right. My nephew is not at all compatible to venture into the spirit world like that."

"Ha!" Azula laughed. Zuko growled again and made to stand, presumably to strangle her. Lu Ten shot an arm out to hinder his intentions. 

"As I was saying," Iroh continued, his voice rising a tad "Zuko won't be able to complete the trek. If you two," he looked at Sokka and Azula, "were _almost_ youkai-dinner, Zuko," his eyes wandered over to the scarred teen, "will surely _be_ dinner," he finished.

"No leftovers too," Azula added.

 _Riiiiight,_ Sokka thought, his eyes traveling over the four of them. Strange-ass family this is, talking about one of them being mauled by youkai like it's a semi-regular thing. 

Royalty, Sokka decided, are all fucked in the head. One way or another. Oddballs, the lot of them.

Azula being the oddest of them all.

The royal weirdo in question was giving him a glare. "What?"

He hadn't realizes he was staring. "N-nothing," he stammered. He'll try not to so much as glance at her during the rest of this dinner.

Easier said than done.

"I hope the parade wasn't so much trouble," Iroh said, looking at Sokka earnestly.

"Ah, erm..." Sokka muttered, scratching his head. If getting hounded by a hundred or so youkai isn't _too much trouble_ , then he doesn't wanna find out _what_ is. "Can I ask something?"

"Go ahead."

"Why did you want me there? I mean, it looked like Hiou here can handle her own out there..." 

Iroh placed his tea cup down the surface and inhaled deeply. "You were there...for her protection."

"Protection?" Sokka---and Azula---asked in surprise.

Iroh shared a look with Lu Ten and sighed. "I didn't want to take any chances. Had Zuko been the one to get the year's fill I would have asked you to accompany him too."

Sokka's brows furrowed in confusion. A quick sweep over the table told him that both Zuko and Azula were sporting the same expression too.

"Uncle," Zuko said, "If Sokka could help me uh...survive the ordeal, then why not send me?"

"Why not just get the nectar yourself?" Azula asked. 

"If you must know, _dear niece_ ," Iroh said, sending the girl a side glance. "I was in a meeting."

Azula frowned. "'Meeting' my ass..." she whispered under her breath.

"Language!" Iroh snapped. "And as for your question, Zuko---it's true that I could have just sent Sokka with you to get to the tree, but..." he trailed.

"But what?" Zuko and Sokka asked in unison.

"The choice was between sending you and Sokka," he nodded at the boys, "and sending your sister and Sokka. It was just more logical to choose the latter pair."

Zuko's face was blank. "Uh. Why?"

Iroh chuckled into his tea. "Forgive my frankness, my boy. But your sister, well, she likely wouldn't make a mess of things."

The smirk on Azula's face was almost blinding.

Zuko's mouth hung open in utmost offense. "But---she almost _did_ mess it up!" he yelled.

" _No_ ," Azula protested. "That was _Sokka's_ fault, not mine."

"I didn't see that damn mole, okay?!" Sokka shouted.

"See?" Iroh told Zuko with a wave of his hand, completely ignoring the bickering pair. "Sokka was a non-negotiable factor. I had to minimize the risks." the old man shrugged.

"All for booze..." Lu Ten bemoaned.

"Why can't we just stick to tea?" Zuko asked himself. 

"Life needs variety," Iroh replied nonchalantly. "Alright," he addressed everyone, "who wants some mochi?"

＊＊＊

The _Agni Jingu_ looks every bit as resplendent at night as it does during the day. The flames surrounding each of its structures burn steady and bright, giving the many wooden pillars a soft, orange glow. Its scarlet red roofs, normally blinding when it's the hottest time of the day, darken into a deep maroon with the light of the half moon. 

Sokka watched as the torches lining the small courtyard burn a deep, sapphire blue. Azula was leading the way, her back to him, and the light around them shifts from yellow, to red, violet, blue, white and back again as the torches she passes over recede to their normal hue.

Sokka walked slowly, entranced by the play of colors. He wondered if she does it on purpose.

Azula turned on her heel. "What are you doing? Did all that meat make you forget how to use your legs?!"

Sokka scowled, the spell effectively broken now. "Can't I admire the surroundings? Jeez."

What's got her worked up all of a sudden?

"Well walk faster while you do it!" she snapped, and turned to walk through a doorway separating their house from the rest of the massive shrine.

Sokka rolled his eyes, and sped up to walk alongside her. "You didn't have to walk me out, you know..." he said.

Azula scoffed, and curled her lip. "And leave you walking around my shrine unsupervised? I don't think so."

His jaw dropped. "Well excuuuuse me, princess---lady--- _miko_ \---whatever the hell they call you these days," Sokka sneered, "I have special access here!"

She skidded to a halt. "Says _who_?"

"Says your uncle," Sokka said. "You know, the _Supreme High Priest_?"

Azula looked him up and down in disgust and then started walking again. "Please."

"Hey!" Sokka called, overtaking her. "Who do you think does the dirty magicky shrine work around here?" 

"Uh, _me_?" Azula said.

"Yeah okay true," Sokka winced. "But I do a helluva lot of errands 'round here," he told her, gesturing to the shrine. "Maybe even more than my own home-temple. And let's not forget, I almost got maimed tonight because of said errand!"

Azula stopped walking again. "Did you die?"

"Huh?"

"But did you die?" Azula repeated.

"Wha---" Sokka asked, taken aback. "I'm still clearly here so _no_ duh," he said, his arms dropping.

"Then get the hell over it!" Azula barked, and started headed for the path leading to the gate.

"Hey," Sokka said, following her, "look. I know you're pissed about strangers walking around here and all but I'm no lost tourist. I can find my way around here. Cut me some slack, alright?" 

Azula huffed and looked away. "I just don't see why Uncle keeps you around here..." she muttered.

"Pffft, because I'm a delight, obviously!"

"...when I'm perfectly capable of handling the work," Azula continued, still walking ahead and completely ignoring him.

"Hiou, I don't know if you noticed but this is a big ass shrine," Sokka told her, looking around the expanse.

"And!" she stopped abruptly, pointing a finger straight into his face causing him to stumble back to avoid colliding with her. "I _definitely don't need your protection!_!" she growled, her eyes flashing.

 _Ohhhhh so this is what this is about!_ Sokka thought.

"Hey," Sokka said, bringing his hands up in surrender. "Don't blame me---blame your uncle. He was the one who made us go together, remember?" 

Azula huffed.

"And besides," he continued, "I'm well aware that you don't need me there to protect you." If anything, those youkai probably need to be protected from _her_.

"Good," Azula said, her voice clear with warning, and the all torches lining the path they were walking in flared bright blue. "And don't you forget it."

Sokka was suddenly reminded that this was the girl trained to fight both earthly and otherworldly threats practically from birth. "Sure," he shrugged, trying to pass things off casually. "and look, I'm just as confused about everything as you are."

Azula lifted an eyebrow and placed a hand on her hip. "Uncle made a poor judgement call as he's prone to do. What's to be confused about?"

"Not that!" Sokka said, scratching his head in frustration. "The nectar! I thought---I don't know, that it's gonna be for a ceremony here but nooooo..." he whined, getting more irritated by the minute as images of a drunken Iroh and Lu Ten ran through his head.

"You've worked for him for a year now and you still expect him to have a profound reason behind everything?" Azula asked.

Sokka shot her a reproachful look. "But those youkai," he pouted. 

She laughed heartily at the look on his face. Her amusement was solely on his expense but he cannot help but find the sound of her laughter so unnervingly... _pleasant_. 

"I told you to get over it!" Azula  
said, her shoulders still shaking. 

"Easy for you to say, little miss Sacred Fire!" Sokka replied, completely affronted. "I thought I was a goner..."

She laughed at him some more.

They walked the rest of the way in companionable silence, broken occasionally by random questions from Sokka and a few insults from Azula. They stopped as the towering _torii_ separating the Agni Jingu from the rest of the Caldera came into view.

"Well," Azula breathed. "This your stop. Now get out."

Sokka gave a shocked gasp and clutched his heart dramatically. "After all we've been through, Hiou? I'm hurt!" he said, his lips trembling for effect.

Azula rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Seriously, Amarok, just go," she prodded, nodding at the gate.

"Alright, alright, it's getting late anyway," Sokka agreed, turning towards the gate. 

"Wait," Azula said, moving to step in front of him. She fished for something in the pockets of her school uniform, and handed him a small vial containing gold liquid.

Sokka eyed the nectar in confusion. "What's this for?"

"Uncle sends his thanks, for your help tonight," she told him, crossing her arms as she watched him examine the vial.

"Wow, gee, and here I thought that dinner covered all that." Sokka replied, smiling as he pocketed the vial. He didn't realize Iroh was willing to part with any more of the nectar.

"Really? All that whining made me think otherwise," Azula drawled.

Sokka tried not to scowl at her too much. "Alright, alright," he sighed. "I'm really going now. Thanks, Hiou."

"Don't forget to get something for the kitsune," Azula called after him.

"What?"

"Get a gift for the kitsune. You owe him, remember?" She said with a smirk.

Sokka caught her gaze and smirked in return. "Right. The kitsune. Don't worry about it."

Azula gave him a slight bow, and headed back into the shrine. Sokka waited just outside the gate until she was out of his view before starting to walk to the bus stop. He chuckled, and held the vial in his pocket the rest of the way.

**Author's Note:**

> Whooo boy. Here we go.
> 
> \- This is a CLAMP AU and is a combination of elements from xxxHOLiC, X/1999, Tokyo Babylon, and maybe Tsubasa. Some other allusions here and there.
> 
> \- This world is a mashup of the Avatar world and our regular world, sorta. The A:tLA geography stays pretty much the same but with similar countries from our side thrown in. The story pretty much revolves inside the Fire Nation and some of Earth Kingdom, though.
> 
> \- For all intents and purposes of this AU( and from my own personal headcanon and the fact that the Fire Nation is based on Japan) the language spoken in much of the Fire Nation is Japanese.
> 
> \- Azula's (granted) surname is _Hiou_ lit. "Fire" (火) and "King" (王). A shoutout to their family title (Firelord) in canon and in this AU. Although if in speaking the characters probably use just the equivalent of "King" (eg Azulon-ou) in-universe. I tried using "lord" but the title rank and sound just didn't fit. Azula and her family go by this surname now, having lost their status and all (more on their family history in the next installment)
> 
> \- I used _Amarok_ a wolf in Inuit mythology, as Sokka's surname. As per Japanese custom, people usually address each other by surname plus honorific. I didn't include honorifics here because it sounded off. 
> 
> \- Sokka still hails from the Southern Water Tribe, hence Azula calling him _gaijin_ (外人) "foreigner".
> 
> \- The Hious use customary sayings in everyday context, ie "Thank you for the meal" ( _Itadakimasu_ ), and "Thank you for working hard ( _O-tsukaresama-desu_ )
> 
> \- Zuko calls Azula a _kaijuu_ , which are the monsters in Japanese monster movies (bad call on his part, I know). Touya (Cardcaptor Sakura) also calls his sister (Sakura) by this name on occasion. 
> 
> \- This installment is based on the xxxHOLiC arc where Watanuki and Doumeki attend the 100 demon ( _youkai_ here, a type of Japanese supernatural being) and are saved by the kitsune or fox-spirit (who also gave Watanuki some oden (a kind of Japanese pot stew) earlier in the story. They also used the same magical houzuki (winter cherry) in that arc.
> 
> \- Azula and her family lives in a shrine called the _Agni Jingu_. I based this off the Grand Ise Shrine in Tokyo where the Imperial family houses their ancestor deity the sun goddess Amaterasu. The Agni Jingu houses Agni but it's not as huge as a temple complex as that of the Ise (probably just 3/4 of it). Iroh now serves as the Supreme High Priest, Lu Ten is a high priest, and Zuko and Azula are training to get priestly ranks themselves. Azula also serves as the Agni Jingu's resident miko (巫女; "shrine maiden").


End file.
